10 Seasonal Jobs for the Holidays to Make Extra Money
Can you believe the year is already winding down?
The holidays will be here before you know it. While this time of year usually means spending more money, it can also be a great time to make some extra money.
Companies need additional workers to deal with holiday shopping, shipping, food orders, events, and everything else that gets crazy between October and the end of the year.
If you’re looking for some extra cash for Christmas, want to add money to your savings, or just need a temporary job, here are 10 seasonal jobs for the holidays worth checking out.
1. Retail Associate
Retail is probably the first thing most people think about when it comes to holiday jobs.
Malls, outlet centers, and major retailers need additional employees because stores get much busier during November and December.
Positions can include cashier, sales associate, fulfillment, stocking, guest services, and overnight inbound work.
Target, for example, currently advertises seasonal positions in fulfillment, food and beverage, general merchandise, guest services, tech, stocking, and several other areas. Some positions also include early-morning and overnight shifts.
This is one seasonal job where I’d start applying early. Don’t wait until Black Friday to begin looking.
Check out FlexJobs to see what opportunities are available near you.
2. Package Handler
You already know how crazy shipping gets around Christmas.
FedEx hires seasonal package handlers during its peak holiday season. The work can include loading, unloading, sorting, and moving packages. FedEx says its part-time handlers generally work shifts of about three to six hours, although hours can vary based on package volume.
I’ve had friends who worked seasonal package jobs during the holidays. The shorter shifts and weekly money made it worthwhile for them.
Just keep in mind this isn’t necessarily easy money. You’re going to be moving around and handling packages for most of the shift.
3. Delivery Helper
If you don’t want to spend your shift inside a warehouse, look into seasonal delivery work.
UPS and other delivery companies need additional help when package volume increases. Depending on the position, you could help a driver deliver packages or work another seasonal support role.
This can be a good fit if you don’t mind being outside, walking a lot, and working at a faster pace.
Check company career pages early because availability will depend on your location.
4. Seasonal Santa or Holiday Performer
Yes, getting paid to play Santa is a real seasonal job.
Malls, holiday events, theme parks, and other venues hire Santas and other holiday performers every year. You don’t necessarily have to be Santa either. Opportunities also exist for greeters, helpers, and other members of the holiday crew.
Cherry Hill Programs, one of the companies that operates holiday photo experiences, says it hires thousands of seasonal cast members, photographers, and retail employees each year.
If you’re comfortable dealing with crowds and kids and have a good personality, this could be one of the more interesting jobs on the list.
5. Seasonal Food Worker
People spend a lot of money on food during Thanksgiving and Christmas, and somebody has to handle all those orders.
Honey Baked Ham was on my original list because their stores can get extremely busy around the holidays, but don’t limit your search to one company.
Grocery stores, bakeries, catering companies, restaurants, and specialty food stores may all need extra workers.
Jobs could include preparing orders, stocking products, working a register, helping customers, or packaging food.
If retail isn’t your thing but you don’t mind a fast-paced environment, this is another category worth checking.
6. Christmas Tree Lot Worker
Christmas tree lots and garden centers have a short but busy selling season.
Workers may help customers select trees, move and secure them, restock merchandise, operate registers, and keep the lot organized.
This job can be physical. You may spend several hours outside and have to lift or move trees.
If that doesn’t bother you, it’s one of the few jobs that’s truly tied specifically to the Christmas season.
7. Seasonal Photographer
Where there’s a mall Santa, there’s usually somebody taking pictures.
Seasonal photography companies hire photographers, sales associates, greeters, and managers for holiday photo experiences. Cherry Hill Programs specifically lists photographers and other holiday team members among the seasonal workers it hires.
Photography experience can obviously help, but some positions are more focused on customer service, sales, or helping families through the process.
And if you’ve ever watched 20 families waiting in line for Santa pictures, you already know patience is going to be part of the job description.
8. Warehouse Worker
Warehouse work goes beyond UPS and FedEx.
Retailers and fulfillment centers also need workers to keep merchandise moving during the holiday shopping rush.
Depending on the company, you could be picking orders, packing boxes, stocking inventory, unloading shipments, or preparing online orders for delivery.
Target currently hires seasonal workers across both its stores and supply-chain facilities, and its seasonal opportunities include fulfillment and inbound positions.
Warehouse work can also be worth considering if you’d rather deal with boxes than customers.
9. Snow Removal Worker
This one obviously depends on where you live.
If you’re somewhere that gets a lot of snow, private snow-removal companies, apartment communities, businesses, and property-management companies may need additional workers during winter storms.
Jobs could include shoveling sidewalks, spreading salt, clearing parking lots, or operating snow-removal equipment.
Some positions require a driver’s license or experience operating equipment, while others may just need people willing to do physical outdoor work.
If you live somewhere like Florida or South Georgia, you can go ahead and skip this one.
10. Tax Season Worker
This one starts a little later than most of the jobs on the list, but it’s still worth including.
Once Christmas and New Year’s are over, tax season isn’t far behind.
Tax-preparation companies begin staffing up for the rush that runs through the spring. Depending on your experience and training, opportunities can include tax preparation, customer service, administrative work, and other support positions.
If you’re actually being paid to prepare or substantially assist in preparing federal tax returns, the IRS requires you to have a valid Preparer Tax Identification Number, or PTIN. You don’t necessarily need a bachelor’s degree just to become a paid tax preparer.
When Should You Apply for Seasonal Holiday Jobs?
Start looking before the holiday rush actually begins.
September and October are good times to see what’s available, but don’t assume you’ve missed your chance if you’re reading this later.
Companies can continue posting seasonal openings throughout November and December as staffing needs change.
For example, Target’s current seasonal listings include application deadlines extending into December 2026.
The earlier you apply, though, the more opportunities you’ll probably have to choose from.
Where to Find Seasonal Jobs
Start with the career pages of companies you’re interested in.
You can also search job boards, local staffing agencies, shopping centers, grocery stores, restaurants, warehouses, and businesses in your area.
And don’t overlook businesses you already visit.
If you’re in Target, a mall, or your local grocery store and see a hiring sign, pull out your phone and check the company’s careers page.
Are Seasonal Jobs Worth It?
They can be.
A seasonal job isn’t going to be the right move for everybody, but it can give you a temporary income boost without committing to another job for the entire year.
You could use the extra money to pay for Christmas without putting everything on a credit card, build your emergency fund, pay down debt, or start the new year with a little more cash.
Just remember what you’re signing up for.
Holiday workers are often needed when everybody else wants to be off. That could mean working nights, weekends, Black Friday, Christmas Eve, or other busy days. Current seasonal Target listings, for example, specifically require flexibility for nights, weekends, and holidays.
If you’re cool with that, seasonal work can be a solid way to make some extra money before the year ends.
And if none of these jobs sound like something you want to do, check out my 100 Side Hustle Ideas for more ways to bring in extra cash.
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Jason Butler is the founder of My Money Chronicles and an SEO consultant with over a decade of blogging experience. Since 2015, he has earned income through side hustles including blogging, eBay flipping, affiliate marketing, and freelance work while paying off over $64,000 in debt. His work has been featured in Forbes, Discover, Investopedia, and Yahoo Finance.
